Health Library

When Your Child Has a Food Allergy: Shellfish

When a child has a shellfish allergy, exposure to even a small amount of shellfish can cause a life-threatening reaction. This sheet tells you more about your child’s shellfish allergy. You’ll learn what foods to avoid, what to look for on food labels, and how to eat safely in restaurants.

Shellfish Allergy: What to Avoid

Most children should avoid all shellfish. But some children are allergic to some types of shellfish and not others. Ask your child’s health care provider whether your child should avoid all shellfish, or just certain types. Types of shellfish include:

Abalone

Anchovies (although not a shellfish, anchovies contain a protein similar to the protein in shellfish)

Calcium supplements derived from coral

Clams (cherrystone, little neck, geoduck, pismo, quahog)

Cockle, periwinkle, sea urchin

Crab

Crawfish, also called crayfish, and ecrevisse

Cuttlefish

Limpet (lapas, opihi)

Lobster and langoustines (a type of lobster)

Mollusks

Mussels

Oysters, squid (calamari)

Scallops

Sea urchin and sea cucumber (beche-de-mer)

Shrimp and prawns

Snails, whelks, and periwinkles

Some children with shellfish allergies are also allergic to other fish, such as salmon, trout, and tuna. Ask your child’s health care provider whether other types of fish are safe.

What to Look For on Food Labels and Menus

Shellfish go by many different names. Watch for these terms on labels and menus:

Bouillabaisse, a seafood soup that usually contains shellfish

Caesar salad and caesar dressing (often contain anchovies)

Cherrystone, littleneck, pismo, quahog (types of clams)

Coral, tomalley (parts of lobster)

Paella, a rice dish that often contains clams or mussels

Scampi, a shrimp dish

Surimi, a name for imitation crab and shrimp that sometimes contains shellfish

Eating Out Safely

Some children are more sensitive to shellfish than others. Just breathing the fumes of cooking shellfish may trigger an allergic reaction in certain children. For your child’s safety, follow these precautions when eating away from home: